Pearl In the Sand

I like to browse through the Christian book catalogs we receive at work to keep an eye out for new books and/or authors that our local stores may not be carrying. I am able to read a short description and then find more information online. If it is a new author or new to me, I may try to borrow it from another library to read. If I really like the book and decide I'll want to read it again, or it's something I want to share with my family, I then purchase the book.

That's what happened about a month ago when I ran across an intruguing excerpt about a brand new author and her new book, Pearl In the Sand. I borrowed the book from another library, but before I was halfway through I knew I needed my own copy. The next order I placed through Amazon included this book.

Pearl In the Sand, by Tessa Afshar, is a fictional account of Rahab's story. The Biblical account of Rahab is found beginning in Joshua Chapter 2 of the Bible. Rahab, a harlot in Jericho, hid two Jewish men sent by Joshua to spy out the land and because of her faith, she and her family were saved when God destroyed the city of Jericho. Rahab and her family became part of the Jewish nation, and she is mentioned as being part of Christ's lineage in Matthew 1:5.

Author Tessa Afshar has taken that basic information from God's Word along with her knowledge of Middle Eastern customs and filled in the blanks of Rahab's story. We see Rahab forced into a soul and body destroying profession and abandoned by the family who sold her into prostitution; see her longing for a God bigger than the cruel gods of her country; her courage in hiding the Jewish spies; her belief that the God of the Jews, Who has defeated every other nation's gods so far, might be worth believing; and we see the difficulties of integrating with a nation whose laws are so foreign to anything she's ever known.

Bible history comes alive in this book and made me eager to re-read those portions of Scripture that dealt with Rahab. God's mercy, grace and redemption are the red cord that tie the Old and New Testament together, and these truths run deep through Pearl In the Sand. Rahab comes to learn that God forgives the deepest sin, heals the deepest hurts and, if allowed to, will restore and bless us in ways we never dreamed possible.

I shared this book with my father who pastored churches for over 30 years and has a deep love and understanding of Old Testament history. He thoroughly enjoyed the book; reading it twice before giving it back to me. I also shared it with my brother. He enjoyed the story as well and mentioned how appreciative he was of the discreet way the author handled the subject of Rahab's prostitution.

By the way, did you know that the Bible tells us who Rahab married? Did you ever wonder how and why a Jew would marry a Canaanite harlot; someone they would normally despise and were told to shun? This book will give you an idea as to how that came about and does it in a way that is heart warming and memorable.

I highly recommend you get your own copy of Pearl In the Sand. It is definitely a bookshelf keeper; a gem I'll be re-reading for a long time to come.

Meet Jake

Meet Jake, the newest resident at our house.

Jake wears many hats...but mostly, he's a bearded dragon. He's not a very cuddly creature, and no, he's not very cute. He is, however, friendly and quite the character. He's also pretty gutsy. He took on our bossy cat in a staredown contest and won. (Kitty went and hid!)

We see great things ahead for Jake's future. He's already starred in several short films (see below). Who knows? He might be the next star of a Pixar 3-D Movie!

Coming soon to a bookstore near you!

Ronie Kendig is pure dynamite and her newest addition to the Discarded Heroes series, Wolfsbane, delivers non-stop, edge-of-your-seat action and the timeless truths that God forgives, heals and restores the deepest wounds.

 The story of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Demiltion Expert Danielle Roark and Former Green Beret Canyon Metcalfe, AKA Wolfsbane, has it all: Betrayal and Redemption; Secrets and Surprises; Mistakes and Forgiveness.

Danielle survives and escapes from a devastating captivity only to be forced to return and face her worst nightmare to prove her innocence. Canyon vows to protect her despite his own deep scars, but unsuspected forces are determined to bring them and the entire Nightshade team down no matter the cost.

I was reminded of King David as I read this story. King David was a man of war who had great victories, but knew the sting of betrayal. He was a man after God's own heart, but he still sinned and reaped the consequences. Ronie Kendig shows through Wolfsbane that although sin is damaging and has consequences that affect everyone around us for the rest of our lives, God can and will forgive us when we repent, and He is able to heal and restore what has been destroyed.

Wolfsbane's fast-paced action and gripping story line kept me constantly surprised by the unexpected twists and turns. Anything that can go wrong...Does! Mudslides, Murder, Mayhem...Will Danielle survive her return to this jungle nightmare? Will Canyon be able to keep his promise and overcome his past? Will Team Nightshade be able to survive the political firestorm? I urge you to find out! Get your copy of Wolfsbane ordered today. You won't regret it. Wolfsbane has a permanent home on my BookShelf!

My Foolish Heart

I discovered Susan May Warren when I read the first book in the Deep Haven Series entitled Happily Ever After when it came out in 2007. After reading it, I placed it on my "Keeper" shelves. (If I like a book enough that I know I'm going to read it again it gets placed on my book shelves. Otherwise, I pass it on to my library or used book store.)

After Happily Ever After came Tying the Knot and The Perfect Match. Each book was as good if not better then the last with a lot of sweet romance and a little touch of suspenseful "who's-the-bad-guy" danger. I was sad to have to leave Deep Haven, even though I have enjoyed each book/series that Susan's written since. So, of course, I was very excited to hear that once again I would be able to return to the town of Deep Haven in Susan May Warren's My Foolish Heart.

When the mail delivered my copy of My Foolish Heart, I didn't waste any time cracking it open and beginning. I felt like I was visiting with long-lost friends, getting caught up on all the day-to-day happenings as well as meeting and making new friends.

Issy, the battling-back-from-trauma late-night-talk-show host meets...Caleb, the Knight next door (yes, he has a white steed), who knows what it takes to battle through trauma and broken dreams. And Lucy; the donut-girl-who-hates-donuts, reunites with old flame Seb, the returning hero. Or is he?

And then there's the upcoming football game. Who will win? What will be the outcome? Will fancy plays save the day? Or will it take good, old-fashioned fundamentals? I don't enjoy watching football, in fact, I never watch it, but this story line hooked me, and I found myself rooting for first one team then the other.

If you haven't already visited Deep Haven, I encourage you to give it a try. You can start with My Foolish Heart even if you haven't read the previous titles, but I think after you've spent a little time in this charming town, you'll want to stay as long as you can.

My Foolish Heart nowresides on CDees' bookshelf along with Susan May Warren's other titles. I will be re-reading this one!